Piano player



Jan. 19 1926.

J. WEARHAM PIANO PLAYER Filed June 20, 1922 sono @W Dwi...

Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

Unirse remis rarest JOHN WEAR/HAM, OF WESTMXNSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSEGNOR T0 VICKERS f LIMITED, OF WESTMNSTER, IIC-EDGE, ENGLAND, A BRTISH COMANY.

i PIANO PLAYER.

Application led June 20, 1922. Serial No. 569,598.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN VEARHAM, a subject ot the YKing of Great Britain,res1ding at Vickers House, Broadway, lVestminster, inthe county of London, England, haveinventedcertain new and useful lmprovements in or Relating to Piano Players, ot'which the following is a specification.

v"This invention relates to piano players of thefkind constructed to form a more or less self-contained unit which is clampedor ptherwlsedetaehably connected to the piano 1n such a position that the strikers can operate 'upon the keys of the piano'.

According tothe present invention the piano player isso constructed and arranged that-it can be folded, collapsed ordivided intoisections .in order tol reduce its length fwhenremoved from' the piano so that it can be packed into a comparativelysmall space and-'can be thus easilycarried by the owner fwhoca-n take his` pianoA player with him to houses possessing a piano unprovided Awith a mechanical player and readily place it in its operative4 position on'said piano for playing. In Athe preferred form or' the invention the piano vplayer may comprise a wind box or chest which preferablyA also serves as a carrier for 'most of the operating mechanism.- This VboX'may be made in two parts which communicate. with each other when in the r`operative positiony and Awhich may be hinged together so that when removed from the piano one part can be folded against the other and thus reduce the length as mentioned above.

The two parts of the piano player when in the operative position are held together by means of suitable catches and the hinge about whichthese two parts turn may be vertically disposed at the back ot the box.

,The strikers may be held in the inoperative position by means of one or more sliding shelves or plates which when the piano plaver is in yplace for use, are withdrawn to.

alldw the strikers to come into contact with the keys of the piano. The said shelves or plates whenin position completelycover the strikers and the pistons, bellows or other operatingdevices and thfus protect these parts vfrom-'injury- 'This feature of the inf vention can also be used in conjunction with a pianoplay'er madein a single `length and in this case-a single shelfor plate ot the same length as the pianoplayer may be employed,

although if desired two or more shorter shelves or plates could be used.

In. order that the said invention may bc more fully understood and readily carried into effect, the 4same will be more nlly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view showing a piano player constructed in accordance with this invention inposition on a piano.

Figure 2 is a`v view of the piano player in its folded position in a carrying case which is indicated by chain lines.

Figure, 3 is. a-transverse section through the wind boX or chest showing one of the aforesaid shelves or trays. y

Figure d is a diagram showing the air connections at the plane of division between the two parts of the wind box or chest for a pneumatically operated piano player.

In the constructional form shown by Figures 1 and 2 A, A1 are the two parts of the .wind box or chest and A2 is a central portion carrying the music roll; B is the tracker bar and B1 is the driving cylinder which, as shown, is operated by hand plates or discs C, C1 which are arranged at each side of the central portionA2 and which, together with their associated parts. are fully described inthe specilication of /British Patent No. 189,175. The said driving cylindermay, however, be operated in any4 other desired manner, for example by a small clockwork, pneumatic or electric motor or by means of weights which may advantageously consist of light metal vessels adapted to hold water. C2 is the pointer of a speed indicator which may be driven in any desired manner such as ,that described' in the specification of the said patent.

'In the construction shown the piano player is' arranged above the keys ot the piano with the outer ends resting upon the end blocks oi the keyboard. To render the player capable ot use with a piano havingv end blocks ot' different lengths. adjustable members fz. n. are provided` these members being` carried by rods el., m1 which slidahly enter the casing of the piano player at the ends and are heldl in the required position by `thumb screws c?, e?, Oneot the said adjustable members car-ries a plate a? which. b v a screw or cam.deviceoperated by a handle c4. can he Forced against the upright portion ott' the pianoat the end of the end block to hold the player in position as is well understood.

The two parts A, A1 of the windbox or chest are hinged together at A3, the hinge in the example shown by Figures 1 and 2 being at one side of the central portion A2 and at the back part thereof. This enables the. player to be folded as shown in Figure 2 and leaves spaces in the carrying case A. for' spare music rolls af, a* In a pneumatic player the tubes b, l) (Figure 5) leading from the tracker bar B to the pneumatics in the part A of the wind box are interrupted as shown and are sealed into a plate A. The other portions of these tubes are sealed into a plate AXX in corresponding positions so that when the player-is in the operative position with the plate i "X brought tlush against the plate A1X by turning the part A about the hinge A3, communication is established between the two portions of each tube. A similar arrangement is provided for the large duct A0 connecting the two pumping systems when two separate systems are employed. The contiguous faces of the said plates may be coated with rubber or other suitable material for ensuring an airtight joint and these plates may have associated with them a flap which when the player is in the folded condition shown in Figure 2 presses across both the said faces to exclude dust.A Instead ofthe arrangement described by which communication between the pipe and duct portions is broken when the piano player is folded and is established when the plates Axx and A1X are brought together, the ends of the pipes and ducts sealed into the said plates may be connected by flexible tubes of such length as to permit the folding movements to occur.

A4, A4r (Figures 1 and 3) represent the aforesaid shelves or plates which are mounted in grooves beneath the two parts of the piano player, each plate being of a length corresponding to the lengths of the said two portions. These plates are intended when pressed inwards to co-act with the portions A5, A (see Figure 3) of the strikers that come into contact with the keys of the piano, thereby raising the strikers into their inoperative position. The said plates when fully in completely cover the strikers and protect them and their operating devices from injury. These operating devices are shown in Figure 3 as air pressure bellows A5". A the movable elements ofwhich form inclined planes upon which the edges of the plates operate to raise the strikers. When the piano player is in place on the piano for use, the plates are withdrawn and the strikers are thus allowed to descend into contact with the keys a?. e of the piano.

In the case ofa pneumatic or an electropueumatic piano player, cranks actuated hy the aforesaid hand plates or discs C, C

preferably operate bellows in the manner described in the specification of the aforesaid British patent.

The various parts of the improved piano player are intended to be made as light as is practicable so that the complete player can be made sutliciently light for easy carrying when folded as stated above and placed in the carrying case AX. The possessor of a piano player of this description can therefore carry it about together with its accessories almost as readily as he would a violin.

The piano player when not arranged above the keyboard may conveniently be disposed in front of.l and possibly at a somewhat lower level than. the keyboard and may be 'detachably connected to any convenient part of the piano, for example to the end blocks of the keyboard or to part of the Wooden framework. In all instances however, the strikers operate upon the keys ofr the piano. The said piano player although preferably of a length at least equal to the normal length of the keyboard of an ordinary piano, may be shorter than the keyboard so that it only operates upon the keys of say four octaves instead of the normal seven octaves.

It is to be understood that the expression piano player herein employed is intended to include players for keyboard instruments similar to pianos.

llVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. A. piano player provided with strikers, comprising means for detachably connecting the player to a piano so that the strikers can operate upon the keys of the piano and means whereby the body of said player can be reduced in length after removal from the piano.

2. A piano player provided with strikers, comprising two main body parts, means` for detachably connecting the player to a piano so that the strikers of the player can operate upon the keys of the piano, and means for connecting said body parts together so that the pla-yer can be reduced in length after removal from the piano.

3. A piano player provided with strikers comprisingT two main parts, means for detachably connecting the player to a piano so that the strikers of the player can operate upon the keys of the piano, and means for hinging said parts together so that one part can be folded against the other after the player has been removed from the piano.

4. A piano player provided with strikers comprising two main parts, means for detachably connecting the player to a piano so that the strikers of the player can operate upon the keys of the piano, and a vertical hinge for connecting said parts together so that they can be folded back to back after ill) the playerI has been removed Ytrom the piano.

5. A piano player' provide-d With strikers, comprising tivo main parts, means for detaehably connecting thel player to a piano so that the strikers of the player can operate upon the keys ot the piano, means for connecting said parts together so that tl e player can be reduced in length after removal from the piano, air pipes Carried by said parts7 plates movable with said parts into ivhieh` plates the ends of said pipes are sealed, and means for establishing` an airtight connection between the ends ot said pipes as said plates are brought together by the movement of said parts into the operative position.

6. A piano player provided with strikers, comprising` tivo main parts, means for detaehably Connectingl the player to a piano so that the strikers or the player can operate upon the keys of the piano, neans for hinging said parts together so that one part can he'rolded against the other after the player has been removed from the piano, air pipes carried by said parts, plates movable. with said parts into which plates the ends of said pipes are sealed, and means for establishing an airtight Connection bet-Ween the ends ot said pipes as said plates are brought together by the movement ot said parts into the operative position.

7. A piano player provided with strikers,

having means for detachably connecting the player to a piano so that the strikers can operate upon the keys of the piano and a sliding member movable into position betiveen the strikers and the keys.

8. A piano player provided ivith strikers having means for det-aehably connectingl the player to a piano so that the strikers can operate upon the keys of the piano and a pluality ot' sliding' members movable into position between the strikers and the keys.

9. A piano player provided ivith strikers, having means for detachably Connecting` the player to a piano so that the strikers can operate upon the keys ot the piano and a sliding` member movable into position beneath the strikers and cooperating With inclined surfaces thereon during` its move` ment into position.

1G. A piano player provided with strikers,l comprising` tivo main parts, means for detaehably connecting the player to a piano so that the strikers of the player can operate upon the keys of tl e piano, means for hinging` said parts together so that one part can be folded against the other after the player has been removed from the piano and sliding' members one carried by each of said parts and movable into position beneath the strikers.

JOHN TEAR-HAM. 

